


The Madness that Lingers

by theatretechlesbian



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, Bisexual Tim Stoker (The Magnus Archives), Gen or Pre-Slash, I miss her, Martin Blackwood Makes Tea, Nonbinary Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, They/Them Pronouns for Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, as if there is any other type of jon, i wasnt sure which sasha to tag, its paranoid jon, set in MAG60 observer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:47:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28818744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theatretechlesbian/pseuds/theatretechlesbian
Summary: Set in MAG60 Observerthe lead up to the Intervention
Relationships: Jonathan Sims/Martin Blackwood
Kudos: 12





	The Madness that Lingers

**Author's Note:**

> title from King by The Amazing Devil  
> the whole time I've been listening i couldn't stop thinking about their thoughts during this episode? and just this image of jon being feral but in a paranoid way instead of the fun sexy way

"We can't let it go on like this." The sternness in Sasha's voice was unmistakable. Martin edged through the door, three cups of tea balanced in one hand and the other grabbing the handle to shut it. 

Tim had turned his chair, straddling it and sitting backwards facing Sasha and Martin's desks. He accepted his mug and went back to leaning on the backrest.   
"They were watching my house."

"Yes, Tim, so you've said - ah, thanks Martin." Sasha seemed grateful not only for the tea, but perhaps also for someone else in this discussion that might add something other than Jon's misdeeds over the last weeks.  
"As I was saying, we can't let all...this," She gestured vaguely in the air towards Jon's office, "Continue. I think we should sit them down and have a chat."

Tim glowered slightly. "A strongly worded chat. With words such as _stop watching my fucking ho-_ "

"A sort of intervention, you mean?" Martin said, interrupting Tim. It wasn't that Jon stalking him wasn't creepy, it just wasn't the only issue here. "Is that something we can do?"

"Bastard probably wouldn't even listen to us, they'd order us out of their office as if it were just another plot."

Martin very carefully didn't mention that, although not quite so nefarious, they themselves were technically plotting. It was just plotting for a good cause.  
Sasha smiled knowingly, as if she knew what Tim was going to say. (And to be fair to her, she probably did.) "That's why we're going to get Elias to help."

  
Martin's eyes widened. If Elias was going to be involved, that took it to a whole new level of serious. They wanted Jon to be taken down a peg, brought back to reality a bit, but getting Elias to help made it feel like Jon might get fired. They were a twat, sure, but Martin didn't want them to lose their job.

Tim seemed to be of the same mind. "That makes it all a bit intense though, doesn't it? He creeps me out." 

Martin found himself nodding in agreement. Elias Bouchard was a difficult man to figure out at best, and both unpredictable and uncanny at worst. Tim and he had ~~bitched about~~ discussed the man before, as you do, over a few too many drinks at the pub. _He'd be handsome really, if he wasn't so....slimy? Slimy._

Sasha opened her mouth, most likely to agree but placate them both with some logical, well thought out reasoning. She was instead interrupted by a knock on the open door of the office. As one might expect with their luck, the man standing primly in the doorway, one hand in his pocket as if he had been standing there all along. Which he hadn't. At least that's what Martin hoped, for Tim's sake if anything.

  
"Double boss! What can we do for you?" There was a slight edge to Tim's voice, a hint of anxiety underneath his charisma. 

Elias tilted his head, as if the group already knew why he was there. "I heard through the grapevine that you wanted to confront Jon about their actions of late. What sort of employer would I be if I didn't offer my assistance?" 

  
If questioned, Martin wouldn't be able to verbally express why he found being in proximity to Elias so unnerving. Maybe it was the eyes, the way they seemed not to look past you, but into you, past any facade you might try to raise.

It seemed that Sasha did not have the same reserve as Tim and Martin. "Great, they should take us a bit more seriously now."

Elias stepped out of the doorway, gesturing through to Jon's office with a small flourish. Martin hadn't really expected them to be talking to Jon this soon, but he found his feet moving anyway, following Tim out of the door.

  
Jon was, as expected, in their office hunched over a statement. The tea Martin had made in the morning sat at the edge of their desk, untouched. There was something in their posture that tensed up as Elias knocked on the door and the group entered. Jon's arms crossed over, trying to protect themselves. They weren't a particularly open or affectionate person at best, but Martin had never seen them as defensive and paranoid as they looked now.

"You don't mind if I record this, I trust?" The spite in their voice was visceral, but Martin kept calm. He didn't want to escalate this needlessly.

He tried to set the tone, announce their intentions. _This is an intervention_.

An uncomfortable voice in his mind noted that Martin was glad that Sasha had involved Elias. Jon did seem to listen to the man, even if it was begrudgingly.

  
_You were watching my house._  
_You followed me on my lunch break and searched my desk._  
_You said I was lying about a murder!_  
_You think we killed Gertrude._

  
Something in Jon's eyes was wild, feral almost. They kept darting around the room, looking from face to face, and then to the door. Jon's arms were no longer crossed, and instead in front of their face, hands tensing and flexing as they tried to express what they meant, tried to explain themselves.

There was a painful duality to the vision that was Jonathan Sims in this moment. Martin felt like he could see every moment, every thought passing through their head. Half of Jon was telling them that they knew these people, knew that they wouldn't, couldn't have killed Gertrude. But the other half was akin to a spurned dog, frightened and with no one to trust. They were afraid and in the dark.

  
Their laugh when presented with the CCTV footage hurt Martin's ears. It was incredulous, suspicious. They were abrupt in their thanks, hands closed possessively over the video tapes, as if someone might steal them if given the chance.

  
If you listen closely over the next hour, you would hear faint murmurings from Jon's office as they watched and rewatched the footage. Martin only knew this because he spent several minutes standing outside their office door, cup of tea in hand. He wanted to knock, offer what little comfort he could, but he knew that he would be met with terse words and hostility. 

  
Instead, Martin poured the cup down the sink. He watched the tea swirl into the plug hole, hoping it would clear the image of Jon's panicked eyes, like a trapped animal surrounded and alone. Martin has spent more time than he would care to admit thinking about Jon's eyes, but this time was rather different.

  
He was glad when Tim suggested going out, taking their mind off things. The office had been quiet from the time Elias left, the silence only serving to make any thoughts louder. He could only hope that a couple of drinks would do the job.

**Author's Note:**

> martin and tim end up staying out far too late drinking. martin drinks too much and starts crying about jon not drinking the te


End file.
